Foreign Violet
by GamberDragon
Summary: Mild Tifa/Aerith, can be seen as friendship. "Finally you arrive…" she spoke teasingly, her voice melodic and sweet like caramel, "What took you so long, Tif?" ..."I've been restless lately – all those…things happening all together."


**Foreign Violet**

A/N: Another oneshot…This time for the lovely fandom of Final Fantasy 7. Hinted Tifa/Aerith, but I suppose you could see it as friendship with a dash of hinted Cloud/Tifa. Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 ~ which is fine…I have fanfiction, after all!

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><p>Sunlight beamed down from the sky, shining brightly and reflecting off of bewitching green eyes; the woman sat, legs crossed, in a field of chrysanthemums. She wore a simple, red sundress, and her feet were bare, toes tangling in sweet-smelling grass. Her brown bangs hung around her face, framing it artistically and at the back, it hung down to the ground like a rippling, chocolate waterfall.<p>

Her delicate fingers were wrapped around the stem of a violet – very out of place with all of the chrysanthemums growing around her. It was at perfect health, petals a bright, beautiful purple color – grown by someone with the greenest of thumbs. Aerith smiled softly at the plant, humming to herself and perhaps _it_ as well.

Beside her sitting position was a wicker basket that was emitting the smell of honey, hazelnut, fresh bread, and apple cider. She wondered idly when Tifa would show up, but wasn't too concerned, they had all day – or however long they wanted to have their picnic.

Soft footsteps sounded from behind Aerith and she beamed as she turned to face the other girl, "Finally you arrive…" she spoke teasingly, her voice melodic and sweet like caramel, "What took you so long, Tif?"

"Sorry," Tifa apologized tiredly, burgundy eyes softening at the sight of her best friend, "I've been restless lately – all those…things happening all together."

Aerith continued smiling, though it was smaller now and more gentle, "Do you want to talk about it?" she patted the spot next to her, Tifa only took a second before she carefully picked her way through the flower field, trying to avoid stepping on too many chrysanthemums. She sat down next to the brunette, her own, darker-brown hair shifting in the perfect breeze.

The other woman was still waiting for her reply so she opened her mouth and answered, "I don't know if I'm ready to right now." She met an emerald gaze, "I _need_ to, but it's… it's too difficult right now." She shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself.

The Ancient never stopped smiling, pulling away and respecting her inability to speak, instead she turned to the basket set beside her, putting down the violet she had been holding, "Well, there's no rush, wait as long as you need to." The top of the basket opened, "But I don't know about you, but I'm quite hungry…"

Tifa eyed the basket in curiosity, stomach giving an involuntary rumble at the scent of caramel rolls and honey-cakes. "Indulging a bit, Aerith?" her eyebrow raised slightly, amusement spreading across her face. "Be careful, too many sweets and you won't be able to fit in that sundress anymore."

Aerith giggled quietly, "I'll just make a larger one." Tifa shook her head, exasperated, but unable to stop smiling. The slightly older brunette pulled out a couple of rolls, mindless of the sticky coating on her fingers, and offered it to her friend. Tiffany accepted it and shivered slightly at the amazing smell.

"I remember when I used to make these…" the dark-brunette commented as they both started munching on the bread, "It seemed to one of the most popular products I sold." The sweetness was thick and rich, some of it staying on her tongue.

Aerith nodded delightedly, "You used to make these whenever we had a proper kitchen for the night…They were my favorite." She took another enthusiastic bit out of her roll, making a pleased noise after it had gone down.

Tifa grinned, "You have caramel sauce all over your cheeks now."

"I'll get to it." The older woman giggled.

They finished their dessert-turned-lunch and fell back into the ground, two sets of eyes watching the sky. Everything was perfect here; the azure sky, the green grass, the fluffy, white clouds dotting the blue, even the dirt was a rich, homey brown. "Everything is perfect." Tifa noted aloud this time.

"Mm." Aerith agreed, "Do you like it?"

Burgundy eyes slipped closed, suddenly, her lips trembled oh-so-slightly, "It's beautiful." She broke off, voice cracking, "Really."

Aerith smiled, sadness radiating from behind that porcelain mask, "But?"

"It's not real." Tifa whispered - desperation in her voice, "It's all just a dream." She turned too-bright eyes on her best friend, "And you're dead." Suddenly, she couldn't keep looking into those emerald orbs, and she was snapping her head away to the right.

The white of the clouds turned darker, morphing into a gray, tumultuous color. The chrysanthemums started to fade in intensity; the grass turning to a dull brown. Aerith's smile was gone and perhaps that was the worst loss. The lighter-brunette idly fingered the violet that she had left beside her, touching the petals – and somehow, their fading of beauty was halted.

She spoke, carefully neutral, "Your soul hasn't called me to your dreams for quite awhile….I had thought that perhaps you had finally been able to move on." Aerith shifted the violet into view, staring at it calmly, "What happened that you suddenly needed to see me?" she continued to keep her gaze away from Tifa – just as the woman herself was doing.

"He revived Sephiroth…And now…I can't find him."

Artemis spun the flower in her hand, "Cloud?" she sighed softly, "He's not dead – but you need to find him soon." Tifa sent a surprised gaze to the other woman, but she was already continuing, "It's time for you to take initiative for a while, Tif; find him." Those emerald eyes finally met burgundy, and smile lifted back on her lips, "I know you can. You are strong."

Tifa bit the inside of her cheek, "But I-," the rain was no longer holding back, falling to the earth with a wet chilliness, soaking both of the women and their picnic basket. "I'm not sure if I…can…"

Aerith smiled mischievously, "But I _do_; so you will." She reached to the other woman, running a finger along the other's cheek, "Find Cloud and live a little; always look to the future, live everyday as if you expect it to go on forever and need it to always entertain." She giggled, "You shouldn't worry so much - you're not alone, after all."

The older woman stood up, mindless of the rain that had soaked her hair to her scalp, throwing her hands into the air and basking in the rain, letting them fall to her sides when she spoke again, "Even when there is madness all around, tragedy at every turn, and the Lifestream always waiting for you…Life is beautiful and worth living." She turned to look down at the still sitting Tifa and offered a delicate, but somehow strong hand.

Without any hesitation, the dark-brunette took the invitation and with the help of her best-friend, stood up. Aerith smiled brightly at her – and with that smile the rain stopped and the violet in her hand became all the more radiant. She looked down at it and then up at Tifa; after giving a decisive nod, she proceeded to tie it into her hair.

Tifa raised a hesitant hand to feel the purple fauna, a small smile quirking her own lips. Aerith grinned at her, then, in a single moment, wrapped her arms around her in a warm embrace. She whispered in the younger – but taller – woman's ear, "Live for yourself…But if that's not enough to keep you going sometimes…Live for me to, okay?" Tifa slowly raised her own arms to wrap around the other woman's waist.

"I…I will, Aerith."

And then; the dream world was shattered. Like a mirror being struck by a hammer; and in its wake was only the mystical green swirls of the Lifestream.


End file.
